Feds: Judge candidate delinquent on $260K

James Rickerson, the Democratic nominee for the 288th District Court seat, was sued by the federal government in 2011 for piling up more than $184,000 in unpaid student loans.

The lawsuit, which resulted in a default judgment against Rickerson, came on the heels of more than $50,000 in tax liens that the Internal Revenue Service filed against the San Antonio attorney, documents obtained by the San Antonio Express-News indicate.

Prior to his entry into this year's Democratic primary, Rickerson, a veteran attorney who attended St. Mary's University School of Law, was best known for representing another embattled local Democrat: former Bexar County party treasurer Dwayne Adams, who was convicted in 2011 of embezzling and misusing $202,000 of party funds.

Rickerson cruised without opposition in the March primary, which set him up to challenge Republican incumbent Sol Casseb.

Rickerson declined to be interviewed for this column, but he provided a statement that addressed his difficulties with the federal government.

He said his wife, Carmen, became extremely ill in 2007, and was forced to quit her job when neck surgery became necessary.

“Bills begin to pile up and we began to fall further and further behind,” Rickerson said. “Because we did not have and could not afford medical insurance, the increased medical bills were very burdensome.”

Carmen Rickerson ultimately was diagnosed with stage-four cancer and died in 2009.

“I had a choice to make: my wife's medical bills, or other financial obligations which also needed to be met,” Rickerson said. “I know I did my best. I can't imagine what other choices I could have made.”

Rickerson has run an unfunded campaign against Casseb, largely on the hope that a Democratic wave — which looks like a near-impossibility — could sweep him to victory.

The 288th District Court seat has been controlled by Republicans since 1994, but there have been a few close calls.

Republican Frank Montalvo won with 52 percent of the vote against Democrat Carmen Rojo in 2002. In 2010, even with Democrats being swept away in a tea party tsunami, Tina Torres pulled in a respectable 44.4 percent against Casseb.

Casseb has made the argument that Texas should do away with partisan judicial elections.

“Nothing I've done in six years has anything to do with what political party I'm affiliated with,” Casseb said.

Rickerson's delinquent taxes and student loans are only the latest ethics issues he's faced in this election cycle.

At an August meeting of the Express-News editorial board, Casseb distributed a termination letter that Rickerson received last year from the Child Support Division of the Texas attorney general's office (where Rickerson had worked since December, 2011).

The letter blasted the San Antonio attorney for “submitting basic enforcement orders that are blatantly in error,” and deliberately disobeying management directives.

Rickerson's termination letter concluded by saying that his colleagues had “lost confidence” in his “ability to effectively manage his office because of his repeated poor judgment and legal deficiencies.”

The federal government filed its lawsuit against Rickerson in U.S. District Court on Feb. 14, 2011.

The complaint alleged that after receiving a direct consolidation student loan by the U.S. Education Department, Rickerson defaulted on the note.

On April 14, 2011, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez issued a default judgment against Rickerson for $184,748.76. With accrued interest, that amount currently exceeds $212,000.

In addition, the IRS has placed liens totaling $51,644.93 against Rickerson for unpaid taxes dating to 2000.

Manuel Medina, the chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party, commended Rickerson for taking on a “powerful, well-connected” Republican judge.

“I always prefer the Democrat, even if he's not perfect, over a tea party-backed Republican,” Medina said.

Gilbert Garcia is a native of Brownsville, Texas, with more than 20 years experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers. A graduate of Harvard University, he has won awards for his reporting on music, sports, religion, and politics. He is the author of the 2012 book, "Reagan's Comeback: Four Weeks in Texas That Changed American Politics Forever," published by Trinity University Press. One of his feature stories also appeared in the national anthology, "Da Capo Best Music Writing 2001."